- Next: Chapter 1 The Abduction
Chapter 7 Disruption of a Dream
Darkness surrounded this new world of Dante's; he was within a canvas of black. At the moment, trapped in this puddle of nothingness, his mind was slowly being stripped...of everything. Heedlessly, some light bounced off in the distance and his cage of emptiness took shape. He was surrounded by all sides with a large mass of dark goo, although below him was an endless pit. Above him, in this small world, was a skyless abyss and no more than a gaze away. A cold breeze hit him and his mind slowly lifted up towards this beautiful darkness. A true spectacle was embarking around his body that could not be seen, but only felt. His heart could feel the damp touch of the breeze slowly ripping the warmth from his soul. Higher and higher, Dante continued upwards with the breeze. If he did not react soon, he would be doomed. Short on time, Dante gathered the first thought that came to mind. A horrible feeling hit him and he saw the image of his twin walking off in the distance. He tried to change this thought to something more positive, but he was quickly losing himself. The breeze was growing stronger as he was lifted further up towards the abyss. An aching spike attacked his heart and went throughout his body. Unable to control the sensation, Dante's mind screamed in horror, "Ahhhh!" At first, he tried to use the growing pain as a push to restrain himself, but this made it worse. "What was all this training for?" Dante crudely thought, it was then, when he saw one last image barely shine through the darkness. He saw a vague outline of his twin, slowly fading away. Suddenly, his heart came to a stern halt and his eyes saw a simple white light. The world he was encased in began to dimmish as he withered away. He had barely begun his journey to the abyss and his life would end in a space of empty bliss. Dante's eyelid grew heavy and began to close, but the light grew stronger. Peaks of the light corroded his sight and his eyelids were forced wide open. Dante's heart took to a new tune and he let in a small breath of cool air. Very quickly, the world returned to cage him along with the breeze to constrict and persuade him. Now, the light in his eyes began to expand across his entire body. The breeze returned and tried to finish the job pulling him up and away, but this light resisted. The breeze twisted and pulled, but his mind stayed intact and his heart rose to a tune of calming. Finally, the breeze began to dissolve freeing Dante from the horror above; a place reality could not touch. The light expanded further around Dante and this world quickly began to shatter. His pain slowly dispersed and transformed into a guide for the strong light to rampage through the darkness and set him free. Not much was left untouched by light, but the brightness continued onward and this world of black disappeared. Dante took in a deep breath and closed his eyes to the accepting aura. Moments later, maybe two, he opened his eyes to the incandescent light of the library that grazed his body once more. The dark being had released Dante and he found himself next to a wall only a few feet from his terminal. The being carried itself to his terminal where the whining window of black was still open. Dante noticed the dark figure slowly inch itself back inside the window and disappear. The being was done with him, and Dante laid triumphant and quite shaken. The dark window gave out one more whine and slowly faded away. He looked up to notice the lights come back on in full blast, as if they had returned from a dead stop in time.
"Free, I am..." Dante passed out on the floor.
Dante opened his eyes to the sight of Jasmine looking over him. He was back at home and in his bed, quite startled to this surprise. Jasmine was amused by this moment of panic and wonder exhibited across his face. The questions stirring up in his mind right now might have even equaled hers. "Jasmine, how much, what do you know?" Dante stared at her but looked straight through, burning a hole into the wall. "Enough to follow you one of these days. Relax. I brought you back and you have been out for a while." She looked up and down his body as if expecting some sign of a battle or fatigue. "Thanks, really, thank you" Relief swept Dante ten times over. Jasmine paced around the room a bit and stopped at a window by Dante's feet, "Well?" Jasmine looked out the window, stalling for an answer. "I'll tell you everything. Just take a seat because it is heavy." Dante pushed himself up a bit and opened up to her. It took some time but he told her everything: the abduction, the mysterious man, the training, and the battle in darkness. It was hard to swallow, but for now, she accepted it.
Three days had passed and Jasmine had been coming by religiously for questions as well as to comfort. "So what now? Is it over just because you haven't heard from this entity or whatever?" Jasmine's eyes glazed up. "I don't know, I cannot define what will happen next." Dante, now up and about, was changing his shirt as Jasmine continued to wonder in thought for words of encouragement. Outside, a harsh wind was passing through the bright sky and a windless night was sure to follow. Back inside, Jasmine was brewing a guiding thought, "Remember where we were headed on the night of the abduction?" "Yea, Devil's Peak for that show." They both looked at each other and their chests felt a heavy weight of accomplishment. Almost in unison they both agreed, "Let's go!" No words were spoken on the long windy drive uphill into the forest. The only forest in their town laid on top of the highest hill away from any city. They had arrived at the top with a thin crop of trees dressing the main hillside. On the edge of hill you could see the industrial side of their hometown. It was here- right next to the edge and shadowing a small stretch of trees- Jasmine and Dante came to rest. They both sat down on the dry Earth and a light breeze hit them as the sun slowly began to set. She took in a deep breath, "What now Dante?" "Just be here for me, its all I need." Jasmine rested her head on his lap. She stared off into the distance as he closed his eyes. "I will call for them this once." A minute, two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes passed, and still nothing. Jasmine looked up and watched as his face fidgeted left and right. She grew concerned and did the only thing she could, giving a strong hug full of a heart's content. Dante felt a warm embrace surround him and he calmed down instantly. His body froze and and the image of the mysterious man appeared. A channel was now open and he began the chant he had used once before. "I am you," His mind began to lift up and drift away. "You are me," He drifted further away. "We are one together," Far, far, away he traveled. "The Creator is good," Dante felt a strange sensation around him, but kept his eyes closed. A cool warmth was surrounding him, but he could no longer feel his body, only sense it. He opened his eyes to a room of darkness except for three bright orbs of light focused around him. He saw the great fiery eyed mysterious man standing in the first orb. In the second orb he saw the giant feminine being with her purplish skin and engrossing smile. Finally, he saw the man who was nothing more than a mask that spun around in fire and a shady robe in the third orb. The fiery eyed man spoke, "We have waited for you Dante. Do you understand what has brought you here?" Dante rose up and shouted at the top of his lungs for all to hear, "Rhea." Fire burst from the mysterious mans eyes, "Do you know why?" Dante hesitated for only a moment,
"I am her and she is me. We are one together. She is no longer here, and yet she is with me. The Creator, the good, has tested my will. I was never alone and yet I am. This is my test"
The mysterious man smiled and he beckoned to a fourth orb behind Dante. He turned around and fell to the ground along with tears heavier than life itself. A woman in a full black attire stood before him. She walked over and placed her hand on Dante's face to wipe his tears. Dante began to shake slightly as an unexplainable sensation was causing his eyes to burn and his mind to blur. She smiled at his uneasiness and carried herself past him. She motioned herself in front of the mysterious man. "Do you understand what happens next?" The mysterious man's smile turned into a serious pause of excitement. Dante rose once more and turned to the direction of the four orbs. "No and I don't care. I know I will be ready for what comes next." The lights from each of these entity's slowly began to fade and a strong light shined on Dante. He pictured his twin once more and the light engulfed his mind, body, and heart. His soul slowly rose from within him and his destination was marked. A beautiful sky was shining up above and a guiding light was aiming to a specific sight in mind. Dante let out a simple smile as his soul carried him away to the unknown. It was in this moment of beauty, that the light slowly began to unravel.
